The computer bug that was going to end the world!

If you were alive at the turn of the millennium, Y2K was all the craze. Why? Because for years, software operated on a 6-digit dating system. In other words, the date 12-31-99 meant December 31, 1999. But, what would happen when that 99 switched to 00? For most computers, there wasn't a four digit system in place to handle to handle the flip from 1999 to 2000. It was believed the flip would trick computers into thinking the new millennium was the year 1900. 

Desktop PCs were in just about every home at that point and the internet had gone mainstream. Most PCs had to be checked to make sure they were 'Y2K Compliant', meaning the dating system used four digits for the year instead of two. 

However, so much infrastructure at the time ran on machines that were developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Not much thought was put into the dating system until the year 2000 approached. There were fears that the electrical grid would shut down, water plants would fail, even concerns that cars would not start if they had a dated computer system. 

All in all, nothing happened, but the fear was very real. NewsChannel 13 put together a retrospective on this anniversary of the Y2K problem and how the Capital Region was preparing for a potential digital doomsday.